Interconnections for refill vessels and reservoirs to be filled with liquefied gas



Sept. 1, 1 c. ZELLWEGE 3,146,808

INTERCONNECTIONS FOR REFILL VESS L. AND RESERVOIRS TO BE FILLED WITH LIQUEFIED GAS Filed Aug. 31, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- 24 .EJ-r 23 m 12 5%) FIG. 1 $4 2/ v N VE/VTOP.

Ca/vpx-m ZE'LL WEGEP.

ATTORNEYS.

P 1, 1964 c. ZELLWEGER 3,146,808

INTERCONNECTIONS FOR REFILL VESSELS AND RESERVOIRS TO BE FILLED WITH LIQUEFIED GAS Filed Aug. 31, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 57 I g 5'5 36 6 50 70 I 39 39 as i lNVENmE.

CONRAD Z ELLWEG'E/R A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 3,146,868 Patented Sept. 1, 1964 3,146,808 EQTERCUNNECTHONS FOR REFILL VESSELS AND REERVOlRS TO BE FILLED WITH LIQUEFIED GA Conrad Zeilweger, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to La Nationale S.A., Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland, and Ronson Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 53,138 Claims priority, application Switzerland Sept. 8, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 141293) The transfer of a liquefied gas, retained under pressure in a refill vessel, to a reservoir which it is intended should be filled, requires a series of precautions which are in some respects generally different from or in addition to those required for the transfer of a liquid which does not gasify at usual temperatures.

The filling means on a reservoir for liquefied gas comprise in general a valve or closure member located on the reservoir to which is connected in a fluid-tight manner a connecting conduit to connect it to the refill vessel.

The transfer may take place either by pumping or because of the differences in pressure within the vessel and reservoir, such pressure differences being brought about either by pressurization in the refill vessel by a gas which liquefies at a pressure higher than that of the liquefied gas or by a difference in temperature (the pressure in the interior of the reservoir being determined by the temperature), or by partial decompression, part of the gas in gaseous phase being able to escape through a decompression orifice from the reservoir which is to be filled, the drop in pressure produced in the said reservoir being marked by a lowering of the temperature due to an adiabatic vaporization of the gas which escapes.

In general, if one uses the last method, the valve or closure member comprises two channels, one of which serves for the admission of liquefied gas and the other for the decompression of the reservoir.

Numerous devices are known to control the opening and closing of the two channels in question and it has not been obvious to one skilled in the art that it is possible to fill a reservoir with liquefied gas by a method, subject to certain precautions, somewhat analogous to that used with a liquid, that is to say, by inserting a connecting piece into the reservoir by means of an opening in the latter, the said opening being so constructed and arranged as to serve simultaneously for the insertion of the connecting piece and the escape of part of the vaporized gas.

According to one simple solution, a refill vessel has a hollow needle intended to pierce a resilient element closing the reservoir, this needle having an outer longitudinal groove forming in cooperation with the said lozenge a passage for the escape of gas. However, such a refill vessel may under certain circumstances be considered undesirable because the needle can injure the user. Again, these needles are fragile and may be broken by a clumsy user and also such resilient lozenges may no longer close properly after numerous piercings.

The present invention provides an improved arrangement for filling a reservoir with liquefied gas by means of a refill vessel, wherein the construction is extremely simple and which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages. The improvements are characterized in that the reservoir comprises a valve having in effect a single orifice leading to the interior of the reservoir and simultaneously allowing the liquefied gas to enter the reservoir and part of the gas contained in the reservoir to escape to atmosphere during the filling operation, such single orifice being controlled by a movable closure member bearing when in closed condition on a single valve seat, the inward and outward currents passing between this seat and the closure member when the latter is in opened position. The refill vessel has a portion as a connecting piece for acting on the said closure member to move it away from its seat by reason of the force exerted on the closure member by the connecting piece during the filling operation, at least one of the portions of the connecting piece and of the valve which co-operate with each other during the filling operation being so formed as to determine, above the closure member, distinct paths for the liquefied gas entering the reservoir and the gas escaping therefrom.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example preferred forms of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURES l and 2 are vertical sectional views showing one of the preferred embodiments of the invention and with the valves thereof in closed and in open condition respectively; and

FIGURES 3 to 7 inclusive are vertical sectional views of alternative constructions for carrying out the invention.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, a valve generally indicated at A is fixed in a reservoir whereof only part of its wall 1 is shown. This valve consists of a cylindrical part 2 screwed into a threaded opening in the wall 1 with a sealing member 3 interposed between them. This cylindrical part 2 has a central orifice or socket 4 defined at its inner end by an annular rib 5. A closure member 6 carrying a packing piece 7 of a resilient substance bears against the rib 5 under the action of a spring 8 located within the cylindrical part 2 and held in position by a screw 9 closing the inner end of the part 2. Preferably a plurality of lateral passages, for example four radially directed passages 10 open the interior of part 2 to the reservoir. The screw 9 also has a projection 11 as a stop means for the closure member 6.

The refill vessel includes a movable part 12 as a connecting piece to act on the one hand upon the valve A on the reservoir and on the other hand upon a valve generally indicated at B on the refill vessel.

This Valve B in the particular form shown may be composed of a membrane 13 of a resilient substance having a distended central portion and furnished with ports 14 around this central portion. This membrane also has an annular rim 15 which is inserted between a part 16 of the sheet metal wall of the refill vessel and a part 17 of a swaged sheet metal part 18 which has a force fit within a cylindrical part 19 formed by the Wall of the refill vessel. This part 19 has an annular boss 20 to retain part 17 in position.

The movable part 12 is mounted slidably on the refill by virtue of a cylindrical portion 21 moving within a cylindrical flange 22 of the wall of the refill and by virtue of another cylindrical part 23 moving in an orifice of the sheet metal cover 24 which has a force fit around the cylindrical part 19 of the wall of the refill. This part 12 also has an annular shoulder 25 intended normally to seat against the edge of the orifice of the cover 24 to limit the outward displacement of the said part 12. There is a longitudinal bore 26 within part 12 to permit the passage of the liquefied gas contained in the refill vessel. This bore 26 has on the one hand milled radial grooves 27 provided at the lower end of part 12 and on the other hand connects with the inner space 28 of a bore of greater diameter in the part 12. At its upper end part 12 has a plurality of notches, for example three notches, two of which can be seen in the drawing.

The combination as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 operates as follows:

When the reservoir requires filling, the end of part 12 on the refill vessel is inserted in the central orifice of valve A on the reservoir, then the refill vessel is urged in the direction of the reservoir so as to put the end of part 12 through the orifice of the valve and to displace the closure member 6 against the action of its spring 8 until the valve A has assumed the position shown in FIGURE 2. At this moment the closure member 6 bears upon the projection 11 on part 9. If the force exerted on the refill is continued, part 12 slides towards the interior of the refill and its upper end bears against the central portion of the membrane 13 and moves it away from the cylindrical flange 22. So that it may function in this manner, it is obviously necessary for the closure forces on the reservoir to be weaker than those on the refill. At this stage the liquefied gas contained in the refill can flow into the reservoir by way of the inside of part 18 then by the ports 1% in the membrane 13, the notches 29, the bore 26, the milled grooves 27 and then through the lateral ports in the form of jets indicated at I. Part of the gas contained in the interior of the reservoir can escape to atmosphere by the said ports 10 and by the clearance space existing between the end of part 12 and the orifice 4 of the reservoir valve. In this way the pressure in the interior of the reservoir is permitted to be less than that in the refill vessel so that filling can take place without difficulty. As soon as the reservoir is full to the level of ports 1%, gas in liquid phase escapes to atmosphere which warns the user that the filling operation is completed.

FIGURE 3 shows a simple form of alternative construction for the reservoir valve. Parts in FIGURE 3 corresponding to those in FIGURES 1 and 2 are identified by the same numerals accompanied by prime marks. This valve consists of a strip 13a of a resilient substance having an expanded central portion and the expanded ends a of which are held in swaged edges 30 on the lower end of part 2'. The central portion of the strip 13a bears against a central orifice 4 in the body 2' of the valve by virtue of the pressure obtaining in the interior of the reservoir. To prevent the strip 13a from being moved too far by the movable part 12' on the refill, the said movable part has an annular shoulder 31 for bearing against the wall 32 in which is formed the orifice 4-. Part 12' has, like the preceding embodiment, a longitudinal bore 26 and a groove 27' at its end to allow liquefied gas to How between the end of part 12 and the strip 13a when the latter has been displaced from the edge of hole 4' by the action of part 12.

To assist in filling the reservoir, the groove 27' is placed transversely in relation to strip 13a so that the liquefied gas enters the reservoir in the form of two jets passing on either side of the strip 130. The proper positioning angularly of the groove 27' is ensured by a longitudinal rib 34 on part 12' which slidably engages in a groove 35 in the cylindrical part 2 which constitutes the body of the valve.

The shoulder 31 has at least one groove 33 to permit the escape of part of the gas contained in the reservoir. Part 12' is also displaceablc in relation to the refill vessel to open an automatically closed valve controlling the flow of liquefied gas from the vessel into bore 26'. This valve may take the form of the valve B hereinbefore described.

FIGURE 4 shows a valve in every respect similar to that in FIGURE 3 but in which the groove 33a (corresponding to groove 33 of FIGURE 3) is formed in the wall 32 of the body 2, so that the annular shoulder 31 of part 12 can be continuous. FIGURE 4 shows the reservoir valve in the open position.

In both the embodiments according to FIGURES 3 and 4, the end of part 12' displaces the strip 13a because of the pressure exerted upon the reservoir and the refill to move the strip away from the orifice 4. When the valve on the refill is opened, the liquefied gas passes 4, through the longitudinal bore 2s and the groove 27 to enter the reservoir. The interior of the reservoir is connected to the open air by the clearance space which eXiSts between part 12' and the body 2' of the valve.

FIGURE 5 shows an alternative construction in which a valve closure member 6', carrying a packing element 7' of a resilient substance, consists of a disc having three holes which permit it to slide on three guide rods 36 which have a forced fit in bores 37 in the body 2". Each guide has a head portion 38 acting as a support for a spring 3% which holds the closure member in the closed position of the valve.

In this embodiment, the connecting piece 12 passes through the orifice 4' without play and enters directly into the interior of the reservoir which is to be filled, as can be seen in FIGURE 5 which shows the valve In the open position. The escape of gas takes place through a bore 56 formed in body 2" and entering the reservoir within the single interior space defined by the annular boss 5'.

FIGURE 6 discloses an alternative construction in the execution in which the connecting member 12:! on the refill vessel does not enter the interior of the reservoir. The closure member of the valve comprises a circular or generally disc-like flexible membrane 40 having an annular enlarged rim 41 and a series of ports 42 disposed around a circle. The membrane 4-0 also has a projection 43 passing through the orifice 4a in the body of the valve, at least one passage 44 being provided in this projection. The drawing shows the connecting piece 12a in contact with this projection 43, the valve in the open position. In valve-closed position, the membrane 40 is in contact with the lower edge of orifice 4a. However, in pushing the connecting piece 12a into the body 2a of the valve, the membrane 40 is moved away from the lower edge of orifice 4a, which allows the liquified gas to enter the reservoir by the passage 44 and some of the ports 42, while part of the gas contained in the reservoir can escape to atmosphere by way of the other ports 42, the orifice 4b and a radial groove 45 formed in the end of the connecting piece 12a. The cross-section of this groove 45 is chosen so as to properly control the fiow of gas escaping to atmosphere during the filling operation.

FIGURE 7 shows another alternative somewhat similar to that of FIGURE 6, but wherein the projection 43 is replaced by a part 46 which is free of the membrane 40'. This part 46 has a longitudinal passage ending in a radial groove 47 provided in its lower face and a head 48 of larger diameter abutting an internal shoulder 49 of an orifice within which part 46 is received, to retain part 46 within the valve.

It is possible to evolve other embodiments and, in particular, the transverse groove such as 27 or 27 in the ends of the connecting piece 12 or 12' could be replaced by equivalent means, viz. the connecting piece or the closure member itself could be so shaped as to allow the liquefied gas to flow at an angle to the connecting piece. To this end, a chamfer or a sloping surface could be provided on the end of the connecting piece or a lateral bore could be provided in the latter.

In the embodiments according to FIGURES 1 and 2, it is essential, to obtain proper filling, that the jets J project through the passages 10. This can be insured by the provision of means of lining up the connecting piece 12, such as a rib and a groove as shown by 34 and 35 in the embodiment according to FIGURES 3 and 4. It could also be arranged that at least one jet J is opposite a passage 10 by providing a difierent number of jets than of passages 10, that is there may be an odd number of the latter and an even number of jets, or vice versa.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Mechanism for filling a reservoir with pressurized liquefied gas from a dispensing vessel, said mechanism comprising a socket-like valve body member including means for attaching same to a wall of such reservoir to project into the reservoir, and a valve-socket registering connecting piece including means for attaching same to the dispensing vessel, said valve body being provided with a single valve orifice for simultaneously conducting said liquified gas from said dispensing vessel into said reservoir and for conducting exhaust gas from said reservoir to the atmosphere during a reservoir-filling operation, the opening and closing of said single orifice being controlled by a single normally closed valve closure member normally bearing against a single valve seat located beneath said valve orifice, said valve closure member being displaceable away from said valve seat in response to pressure contact engagement during said reservoir-filling operation of the free end of said connecting piece, and said connecting piece having an internally located, longitudinally extending liquified gas passage open at said connecting piece free end for introducing said liquified gas into said reservoir, and laterally extending liquified gas channel means between the open end of said longitudinally extending liquified gas passage and the outer periphery of said connecting piece at said free end thereof, said channel associating with said valve closure member during said reservoir-filling operation to direct said liquified gas from said dispensing vessel in lateral direction with respect to said connecting piece and said valve closure member, the outer lateral surfaces of said connecting piece and the corresponding inner lateral surfaces of said socketlike valve body member projecting into said reservoir being formed to define therebetween, when said valve closure member is displaced from said valve seat by said connecting piece during a reservoir filling operation, an exhaust gas passage extending from the location of said valve seat tothe end of said valve body opposite that which normally projects into said reservoir.

2. Disengageable mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said connecting piece and valve body member are arranged and constructed for loose-fitting registering connection with respect to each other such that said exhaust gas passage between them comprises the space between the parts provided by said loose-fitting registering connection.

3. The mechanism defined in claim 1 wherein said single valve seat is formed as an annular rib located concentrically about the inner terminus of said orifice on said valve body.

4. The mechanism defined in claim 3 wherein said valveclosure member is mounted for slidable movement on guide rods extending inwardly into said reservoir from said valve body member on either side of said valve seat and terminating in head portion means and spring means on said guide rod means disposed between said head portion means and said valve closure member to exert biasing pressure on the latter toward said valve seat.

5. The mechanism defined in claim 3 wherein said valve closure member is formed of a flexible membrane having a periphery larger than and concentrically disposed with respect to the outer periphery of said valve seat, said valve closure member being supported by valve closure attachment means disposed concentrically about and spaced away from the outer periphery of said valve seat and holding said valve closure member by its outer periphery in normal valve closing arrangement such that said valve closure member is resiliently held against said valve seat, said valve closure member further being provided with a plurality of holes therethrough, said holes being annularly spaced apart and located between the outer periphery of said valve seat and the periphery of said valve closure member attachment means to provide gas passage interconnection between said reservoir and said orifice when the valve is in its opened position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,274,378 Breitstein Aug. 6, 1918 1,810,366 Martin June 16, 1931 2,019,251 Cooke Oct. 29, 1935 2,401,674 Vizay June 4, 1946 2,633,386 Mahoney Mar. 31, 1953 2,682,977 Spiess et a1. July 6, 1954 2,802,492 Gosselin Aug. 3, 1957 2,805,003 Ayres Sept. 3, 1957 2,863,699 Elser Dec. 9, 1958 2,900,651 Powell Aug. 25, 1959 2,919,127 Prescott Dec. 29, 1959 2,989,091 Lowenthal June 20, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,187 Austria Nov. 15, 1934 

1. MECHANISM FOR FILLING A RESERVOIR WITH PRESSURIZED LIQUEFIED GAS FROM A DISPENSING VESSEL, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING A SOCKET-LIKE VALVE BODY MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAME TO A WALL OF SUCH RESERVOIR TO PROJECT INTO THE RESERVOIR, AND A VALVE-SOCKET REGISTERING CONNECTING PIECE INCLUDING MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAME TO THE DISPENSING VESSEL, SAID VALVE BODY BEING PROVIDED WITH A SINGLE VALVE ORIFICE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CONDUCTING SAID LIQUIFIED GAS FROM SAID DISPENSING VESSEL INTO SAID RESERVOIR TO THE ATMOSPHERE DURING A RESERVOIR-FILLING OPERATION, THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF SAID SINGLE ORIFICE BEING CONTROLLED BY SINGLE NORMALLY CLOSE VALVE CLOSURE MEMBER NORMALLY BEARING AGAINST A SINGLE VALVE SEAT LOCATED BENEATH SAID VALVE ORIFICE, SAID VALVE CLOSURE MEMBER BEING DISPLACEABLE AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE CONTACT ENGAGEMENT DURING SAID RESERVOIR-FILLING OPERATION OF THE FREE END OF SAID CONNECTING PIECE, AND SAID CONNECTING PIECE HAVING AN INTERNALLY LOCATED, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING LIQUIFIED GAS PASSAGE OPEN AT SAID CONNECTING PIECE FREE END FOR INTRODUCING SAID LIQUIFIED GAS CHANNEL MEANS BETWEEN THE OPEN END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING LIQUIFIED GAS PASSAGE AND THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CONNECTING PIECE AT SAID FREE END THEREOF, SAID CHANNEL ASSOCIATING WITH SAID VALVE CLOSURE MEMBER DURING SAID RESERVOIR-FILLING OPERATION TO DIRECT SAID LIQUIFIED GAS FROM SAID DISPENSING VESSEL IN LATERIAL DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONNECTING PIECE AND SAID VALVE CLOSURE MEMBER, THE OUTER LATERAL SURFACES OF SAID CONNECTING PIECE AND THE CORRESPONDING INNER LATERIAL SURFACES OF SAID SOCKETLIKE VALVE BODY MEMBER PROJECTING INTO SAID RESERVOIR BEING FORMED TO DEFINE THEREBETWEEN, WHEN SAID VALVE CLOSURE MEMBER IS DISPLACED FROM SAID VALVE SEAT BY SAID CONNECTING PIECE DURING A RESERVOIR FILLING OPERATION, AN EXHAUST GAS PASSAGE EXTENDING FROM THE LOCATION OF SAID VALVE SEAT TO THE END OF SAID VALVE BODY OPPOSITE THAT WHICH NORMALLY PROJECTS INTO SAID RESERVOIR. 